Poloncarz blasts Trump budget proposal as 'cold-hearted callousness'

Children, senior citizens and working families are among the people in Erie County who would bear the brunt of President Trump's budget if it's approved by Congress, according to Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz on Monday.

Poloncarz released a report that outlines the potential effects of the proposed 2018 federal budget on local programs and services.

The Trump plan, also known as the skinny budget, calls for $54 billion in cuts to non-defense programs with a simultaneous $54 billion increase in defense spending.

"The budget blueprint revealed last week is a mockery of what a responsible budget should be and shows a cold-hearted callousness and disregard for our most vulnerable citizens on the part of the White House," Poloncarz said in a release on Monday.

"Here in Erie County, the injurious effects of this budget will be felt by our children, our seniors, our working families, and all communities, especially in our rural areas. There will be more hunger, more homelessness, more public and mental health needs that go unmet, fewer protections for workers, and a rise in poverty," the county executive added in his statement.

Poloncarz on Monday issued a report, delineating the effects of Trump's budget proposal on social service programs in the county.

In the face of such cuts, Poloncarz stated, it is vital that the local congressional delegation act to preserve funding for targeted programs that are integral to maintaining the quality of life in the area.

"We cannot stand by idly and let the avarice, indifference, and misguided ‘priorities’ in this proposed budget go unchallenged or we will see all the progress we’ve made in the past few years rolled back," Poloncarz said in the release.

Harold McNeil – Harold McNeil is a native of Brooklyn. He previously worked as a reporter for the former WEBR 970 AM public radio station and later for the Niagara Gazette, a Gannett-owned newspaper. He has been a staff reporter for The Buffalo News since 1989.